Fairlady February 2018

It’s difficult to get back into the working year, I find… Which is why I may have been spending a touch more time than usual Whatsapping my friends. And I’ve come to the conclusion that, along with Google Search, autocorrect may be the real measure of the spirit of the times. In my life, ‘moet’ automatically becomes ‘Moët’ (which is quite profound, really… I’d be very happy if all moets were Moët) – but it also turns ‘Anna’ into ‘bomb’ and ‘gin’ into ‘gun’, which seems to show an alarming tendency to make the world even more violent than it already is. It struck me that in celebration of the spirit of love – in the month of love – it might be an idea to reverse that trend. For…

1 MADEMOISELLE ROCHAS A smart new take on the fragrance that became a cult classic in the freewheeling ’60s, and it’s lovely: cheeky, feminine and playful with a gorgeous, more grown-up undertone of sandalwood and Chantilly musk. 2 THE JUDGE Judge President Dunstan Mlambo, who ordered Zuma to personally cough up for trying to block Thuli Madonsela’s State of Capture report. ‘His conduct also falls far short of the expectation of him as head of state to support institutions of democracy such as the Public Protector,” Mlambo said. He had me at, ‘His conduct also falls far short …’. 3 ROLL-UP BACKGAMMON A quick game of backgammon on the beach or while you’re waiting for something is still one of my favourite things to do. But who carries those giant…

WINNING LETTER Hitting the mark We all like freebies, – I’m a sucker for them. When I saw these super-cool rose gold-plated round earrings on FAIRLADY, I knew I had to buy the latest issue. Naomi Watts on the cover, double bonus! Then I started to read. And thank you for giving us great articles that are so important for us as consumers. I’m talking about the great article on our plastic problem. After reading it, I made a firm decision to remember all of the 22 ‘small changes’ and apply them in my life. I felt I wanted to call all my girlfriends and tell them to buy FAIRLADY. All of us – not just women – should make these changes in our lives. We can start with the…

Lanvin – one of the leaders in the fashion industry, introduces legendary fragrances. Éclat D’Arpege: this fragrance is a modern creation reminiscent of the theme of Love. For a delicate, yet outgoing woman, her experience with this fragrance is unforgettable. Éclat de Fleurs: a fresh fragrance for the luminous & natural woman. It is an adventure in the countryside, a light refreshing breeze, the promise of nature’s authentic gifts. HAMPER INCLUDES: Éclat de Fleurs gift set of a 50ml EDP and 100ml body lotion; an Éclat D’Arpège gift set of a 50ml EDP, 100ml body lotion and a Lanvin tote bag.…

GUGU INTIMATES Owner: Gugu Nkabinde Start-up costs: ‘The initial cost was about R300 000. I had to bootstrap as much money as I could from my own funds, and from friends and family. However, since having funders, the overall costs have gone up to R1.5 million. The materials and dyes we use aren’t cheap because we want to deliver premium quality underwear to the Gugu Intimates woman.’ Turnover: ‘It’s still early days, but we’ve sold 100 units within a few months, which is fantastic for a business that’s just started.’ Website: www.guguintimates.com It all began on a sweltering day when I was about to present to a room full of people,’ says Gugu Nkabinde. ‘I was wearing a white shirt, and was worried my underwear would show. So I…

SNEAKERS Liezel Els has 35 pairs of Converse All Stars, and plans her outfits around a different pair each day. ‘My Converse sneakers are my brand. They represent my originality, and who I am.’ A few pairs have nostalgic value too: Liezel’s mustard sneakers remind her of the mustard jersey her grandmother used to wear, and are often paired with green trousers, while the blue-and-white star pair remind her of the bond she shares with her best friend, as both have the same pair. These very shoes have even been featured in an international Converse campaign! PORTRAITS Stuart Trent (RIGHT) owns a framing and art gallery in Pretoria, and commissions artists he’s worked with to create portraits of him in various mediums. He has a collection of 200 portraits, but…